Wills & LPAs Writing Service | Manak Solicitors

Why Write a Will?

Writing a robust and clear will is one of the most important measures you can make to ensure that your assets, finances and possessions are protected after your passing; ensuring that your loved ones receive what you want them to with minimal complications. You’re not just protecting your legacy, you’re helping the ones closest to you feel secure before and after you’re gone.

Some of the reasons why you should ensure that you write a will include:

You can appoint trusted people (Executors) to administrate your assets once you have passed
You can pass on specific gifts, such as cash or possessions to specific people and family members
You can nominate guardians to look after your children or dependents
You can direct where your residuary estate is to pass
You can protect your family home by allowing your partner to continue living in it, while ultimately passing it to children or other beneficiaries
You can specify your funeral wishes to make the process simpler for your family

If you pass away before writing a will, everything you leave behind will be divided according to the fixed rules of intestacy. This essentially means that your assets and possessions will be divided among your surviving relatives subject to a set law, and not through the wishes of yourself and your loved ones. This could lead to a situation where people you would like to benefit from your estate receive nothing and could leave your beneficiaries open to an unnecessarily large tax bill.

Costs

The cost of hiring a solicitor to ensure that the process goes as smoothly as possible and that your intentions are clear is well worth the investment. If your will isn’t legally secure, your family could incur the cost of expensive legal battles or unnecessary tax bills.

With that in mind, Manak Solicitors have a fixed rate when it comes to drawing up wills:

Single will: £280 plus VAT
Mirror wills for a couple: £500 plus VAT
Asset protection will per person: £500 plus VAT
Declaration of trust: £500 plus VAT

Do You Need a Solicitor?

Yes, you absolutely should work with a Solicitor when drawing up your will. If you write your own will, there is a genuine risk that you won’t sign it in accordance of the law, or you use language that can be misinterpreted or manipulated after your death.

Many people who would consider themselves beneficiaries of your estate that you might not, can enlist the services of their own Solicitor to take advantage of any loopholes you may have inadvertently included in your will to stake a claim to your assets. You can protect your estate and your beneficiaries by contacting Manak Solicitors and ensuring that you leave behind exactly what you intend to.

LPAs

A lasting power of attorney (LPA) is a legal agreement that allows you to appoint one or more people (attorneys) to help you make important decisions regarding your estate or to make decisions on your behalf if you are unable to.

It is a good way for you to ensure that you have provisions in place should you have an accident or illness that prevents you from making sound decisions. There are two different types of lasting power of attorney:

Health and welfare lasting power of attorney

If you are unable to make your own sound and informed decisions, this LPA will allow a nominated attorney to make decisions on issues such as:

Medical care
Moving into care homes
Your daily routine (Eating, washing, etc.)
Life-sustaining treatment

Property and financial affairs lasting power of attorney.

This LPA gives an attorney the authority to make decisions concerning money and property on your behalf. It covers issues such as:

Bills
Collecting benefits
Pensions
Selling a home or property
Banking or buildings society accounts

What if I already have an enduring power of attorney?
You may wish to consider revoking the enduring power of attorney and replacing it with both types of lasting power of attorney. They provide much better protection against fraud, as well as health and welfare decision-making powers.

How much do lasting powers of attorney cost?
Nominating people in your life to hold responsibilities over you and your estate is a big decision and, while important, not one to be taken lightly. At Manak Solicitors, we offer fixed rates on these agreements and will advise you on how to make the documents as effective for your situation as possible.

One lasting power of attorney (i.e. just Property or Health) = £500 plus VAT
Two lasting powers of attorney (i.e. both Property and Health) = £1000 plus VAT
Additional Office of the Public Guardian registration fee = £82 per document

How long does it take to write an LPA?
We can take your wishes for lasting powers of attorney and send out draft documents within one week of the consultation. Once they have been approached and signed by you and your attorneys, we immediately send them for registration at the Office of the Public Guardian, where they currently take between eight and ten weeks to register lasting powers of attorney.

Other Services

In addition, Manak Solicitors also offers the following asset protection services:

Preparing and registering Lasting Powers of Attorney
Registration of Enduring Powers of Attorney
Deputyship and Court of Protection Applications (including Statutory Wills)
Advice on Inheritance Tax issues and tax planning
Advice on Trusts
Preparation of Deeds of Trust over property

Most of our wills services are offered to clients for a fixed fee so you know the costs upfront. Should you require any further information about our costs or services, please call our Orpington office on 01689 870769 or our Gravesend office on 01474 324529.

We’re an experienced, professional, but importantly friendly team that understands that every person’s situation is different. Approaching the subject of wills and LPAs can be sensitive and sometimes difficult; that’s why we take every consultation with a considered, human approach. You’ll get honest advice from a Solicitor who wants to ensure that your estate and future are in the strongest possible position.

With offices in Orpington, Sevenoaks and Gravesend, we’re close at hand to discuss any questions you may have regarding making a will or an LPA. If you can’t make it to a branch, we’re available for a phone or video consultations as well.